Richard M. Rabkin, 90, of Ashburn, a longtime resident of Westfield, N.J., passed away peacefully at home on November 11, 2018.

He was the devoted husband of the late Natalie Rabkin and beloved father of Paula Rabkin of Warrenton and Judith (Greg) Magavero of Monteagle, Tenn.

Dick was born February 21, 1928, in the Bronx, N.Y., to the late Louis and Lena (Gordon) Rabkin.

A graduate of DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx, he received his undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from Cornell University and his Juris Doctor degree from George Washington University.

Dick began working as a very young boy in his family’s penny arcade business at the Jersey Shore. He began his professional career as a plant engineer, working in an industrial plant that made huge shell casings for use in the Korean War. After attending law school full-time at night while working full-time during the day, he worked as a patent attorney for RCA in Washington, D.C., for Sylvania in upstate New York and for Federal Pacific Electric in Newark, N.J. Then he got his dream job as patent attorney for Ideal Toy Corporation in Hollis, N.Y., and, after it was purchased by CBS, in Secaucus, N.J.

His favorite hobbies included gardening, woodworking, stamp collecting, listening to classical music on the radio and playing bridge with his wife and friends. When they were younger, he and Natalie loved to go hear jazz and go square dancing. He charmed many people with his great sense of humor and keen intelligence, including most recently his many friends and acquaintances at Ashby Ponds Retirement Community. He was a warm and loving father to his daughters and sent them off to college with their very own hand tools and the skills to use them.

He was predeceased by his sister, Grace Schreibman of Eatontown, N.J.
Graveside services were held at Beth Israel Cemetery, Woodbridge, N.J., on Wednesday, November 14. Arrangements were handled by the Menorah Chapels, Millburn, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Dick’s memory may be made to the American Red Cross or Shriners Hospitals for Children.